if we can get that done, that takes a big bite out of the fiscal cliff. it avoids the worst outcomes. and we're then going to have some tough negotiations in terms of how we continue to reduce the deficit, grow the economy and create jobs. >> if the fight comes back -- i want to ask you specifically about entitlements, medicare and social security, are you prepared in the first year of your second term, to significantly reform those two programs, to go beyond the cuts you've suggested to benefits in medicare, which your own debt commission suggested you'd have to do if you were really going to shore up medicare at least. are you prepared to do that in your first year of the second term? >> what i've said is i'm prepared to do everything i can to make sure that medicare and social security are there not just for this generation but for future generations. >> you've got to talk tough to seniors. >> i have, one of the proposals we've made is something called chain cpi. which sounds technical, but basically makes an adjustment in terms of how inflation is cal